Texturized insecticidal formulation

ABSTRACT

Compositions, formulas, methods of making, mixing and applying insecticide formulations to different surfaces such as but not limited to interior surfaces of ovitraps, on walls and on chips and tiles to produce a texturized surface to allow for better transfer of the insecticidal active ingredients to insects, such as mosquitoes and the like, which land on or crawl on the surfaces, resulting in faster insect mortality rates. The texture of the insecticidal residue provides better transfer of the insecticidal active ingredients to insects that land on or crawl on the surface, resulting in faster insect mortality. The textured residue also enhances desirable surface characteristics for landing of mosquitoes and potentially other insects.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 62/341,382 filed May 25, 2016, which isincorporated by reference in its' entirety.

GOVERNMENT LICENSE RIGHTS

This invention was made with Government support under USDA-ARS contract58-0208-3-001 awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thegovernment has certain rights in this invention.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to insecticides, and in particular tocompositions, formulas, methods of mixing and applying insecticideformulations to different surfaces such as but not limited to interiorsurfaces of ovitraps, on walls and on chips to produce a texturizedsurface to allow for better transfer of the insecticidal activeingredients to insects, such as mosquitoes and the like, which land onor crawl on the surfaces, resulting in faster insect mortality rates to

BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART

Ovitraps have been used over the years for the treatment of mosquitoesand the like. However, most treatments result in smooth surfaces whichhave limitations to both for the release of the insecticide and asurface for mosquitoes to land on and traverse.

Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the priorart.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide compositions,formulas, methods of mixing and applying insecticide formulations todifferent surfaces such as but not limited to interior surfaces ofovitraps, on walls and on chips to produce a texturized surface to allowfor better transfer of the insecticidal active ingredients to insects,such as mosquitoes and the like, which land on or crawl on the surfaces,resulting in faster insect mortality rates.

A secondary objective of the present invention is to providecompositions, formulas, methods of mixing and applying insecticideformulations to different surfaces such as but not limited to interiorsurfaces of ovitraps, on walls and on chips to produce a texturizedsurface to enhance desirable surface characteristics for landing ofmosquitoes and potentially other insects.

An insecticidal composition for treating surfaces, can include atexturizing agent, a polymer mixture for suspending the texturing agentwithin, and a solvent for dissolving the textured agent suspended in thepolymer mixture, and wherein the composition is useful to form atexturized surface to treat insects, such as mosquitoes.

The texturizing agent can include fumed silica. The polymer can includean Iso-butyl-methacrylate. The solvent can include acetone.

The insecticidal composition can further include Pyriproxyfen. Theinsecticidal composition can further include Permethrin.

A method of making a texturized surface with an insecticide composition,can include the steps of preparing an insecticidal composition mixtureby mixing a texturing agent with a polymer and a solvent for dissolvingthe textured agent, and forming a texturized surface on an object.

The forming step can include spraying a surface of the object. Theforming step can include painting a surface of the object. The formingstep can include etching a surface of the object.

The forming step can include forming the texturized surface by injectionmolding the mixture with a plastic.

The object being treated can include an interior surface of an ovitrap.The object can include a surface of a chip. The object can include aceramic tile surface.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent fromthe following detailed description of the presently preferredembodiments which are illustrated schematically in the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a graph showing percent of insect mortality versus brushed andsprayed surface insecticide treatments

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the steps for preparation of the novelformulations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention indetail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in itsapplications to the details of the particular arrangements shown sincethe invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminologyused herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the Summary above and in the Detailed Description of PreferredEmbodiments and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made toparticular features (including method steps) of the invention. It is tobe understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specificationdoes not include all possible combinations of such particular features.For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of aparticular aspect or embodiment of the invention, that feature can alsobe used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in thecontext of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention,and in the invention generally.

In this section, some embodiments of the invention will be describedmore fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichpreferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may,however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construedas limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, theseembodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough andcomplete, and will convey the scope of the invention to those skilled inthe art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and primenotation is used to indicate similar elements in alternativeembodiments.

This application can be used with previous applications of the assigneethat include U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/048,604 filed Dec. 19,2015, which is a Divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/204,524, filed Mar. 11, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,295,246, whichclaims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 61/777,766 filed Mar. 12, 2013. The entire disclosure of eachof the applications listed in this paragraph are incorporated herein byspecific reference thereto.

The invention can be used with treating different objects such asovitraps, and chips, and the like, referred to in the parent patentapplications, in addition to ceramic tile materials, and plastics asdescribed below.

The invention includes an insecticide formulation containing atexturizing agent (fumed silica) suspended in a mixture of a polymer(Isobutyl-methacrylate) dissolved in a solvent (acetone). When appliedwith a spray nozzle, the formulation dries rapidly over surfaceproducing a texturized residue.

The texture of the insecticidal residue provides better transfer of theinsecticidal active ingredients to insects that land on or crawl on thesurface, resulting in faster insect mortality. The textured residue alsoenhances desirable surface characteristics for landing of mosquitoes andpotentially other insects. The polymer both serves to support for thetexturizing agent, and to control the release of the insecticide activeingredient, providing longer-lasting residues.

Tables 1 and 2 show insecticidal compositions for treating surfaces ofobjects with fumed silica. Table 1 and 2 have similar compositions withTable 1 additionally comprising Permethrin.

TABLE 1 grams Component w/acetone Preferred Component ID For 1 literamnt Range Pyriproxyfen 95737-68-1 0.084 0.01% 0.10 to 0.005% Permethrin52645-53-1 5.894 0.70% 1.0 to 0.5% Fumed Silica 7631-86-9 8.415 1.00%3.0 to 0.5% Polymer 9011-15-8 42.073 5.00% 7.0 to (Iso-buthyl- 1.0%methacrylate) Acetone 67-64-1 785.000 93.29% 88.9 to 97.095% Total841.462 100.00%

TABLE 2 grams Component w/acetone Preferred Component ID For 1 literamnt Range Pyriproxyfen 95737-68-1 0.084 0.01% 0.10 to 0.005% FumedSilica 7631-86-9 8.352 1.00% 1.0 to 0.5% Polymer 9011-15-8 41.760 5.00%7.0 to (Iso-buthyl- 1.0% methacrylate) Acetone 67-64-1 785.000 93.99% 91.9 to 98.495% Total 835.195 g  100%

Tables 1 and 2 represent the formulations used in the tiles (formulationwithout the adulticide permethrin), and the formulation used in theovitraps (DDALO, or 00-ZZZero) which contains both the larvicide(pyriproxyfen) and the adulticide (permethrin).

Each of the percent amounts referenced in Tables 1 and 2 can each beapproximately those listed amounts and include those exact listedpercent amounts.

Two different formulations can be necessary because the tiles onlyrequire the larvicide because they are added to bodies of water toprevent development of the mosquito larvae (which do not cause anyproblem in terms of disease transmission) into adult mosquitoes (whichcan transmit the diseases. The ovitraps are coated internally with theformulation containing both active ingredients because adult femalesmosquitoes that come in to lay eggs inside the traps are killed with theadulticide while any larvae that may develop in the water are killed bythe larvicide before they become adults.

FIG. 1 is a graph showing percent of insect mortality versus brushed andsprayed surface insecticide treatments. FIG. 1 shows the importance ofspraying the formulation as opposed to applying it by crushing or othermethod for deposition of the formulation on a surface. When spayed, theformulation dries quickly and forms a rougher deposit on the surface dueto the quick volatilization of the carrier (acetone) and the retentionof the silica particles on a structured polymer deposit.

With sprayed formulation mortality occurs sooner (greater 1-hmortality), and reaches higher levels (Greater 6-h mortality).

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the five main steps for preparation of thenovel formulations.

Step 1(100), weigh component,Step 2(200) add all components except acetone to the container.Step 3(300) add about ¼ of the acetone and shake well to get polymer andsilica well dissolved/mixed into the acetone.Step 4(400) add remaining acetone and mix.Step 5(500) during application of the formulation, maintain theformulation under agitation to prevent settling of the silica.

The texturized surface in a preferred embodiment can be used withmosquitoes. The microstructures and nanostructures of a mosquito's footcan have a length of about 2-3 uM, a width of about 1 uM, and athickness varying from about 200 nm to about 500 nm, with the diameterof the seta ranges from about 200 nm to about 250 nm. See Wu and Kong,Micronanostructures of the scales on a mosquito's legs and their role inweight support, Physical Review E 76, 017301, pages 1-4, The AmericanPhysical Society, 2007.

The invention can be used to form a texturized surface can includesilica particles having structures below approximately 100 uM would bebest to use (<approximately 0.10 mm). The subject invention structureswere agglomerates of approximately 10 uM with substructuresapproximately 1 uM or less. In the opinion of the inventors, a verysmall roughness would be best. Fumed silica would be preferred particlesto be used.

Additional materials which can provide such small features can furtherinclude carbon black and fine features on larger structures like cottonfibers or wood bark, or rice hulls.

Many methods can be used to produce the textured surface. Spraying andpainting and brushing the surface with the composition mixture can bedone.

Spraying the inside of an ovitrap type container, or surface of a chip,and the like, with the solvent mix containing polymer and particleswould be most likely to produce the finely textured surface.

Additionally, etching the surface with a plasma or corona discharge, oreven an ozone exposure would create a rough surface. Still furthermore,sand-blasting the surface can also be accomplished.

Sand blasting is one of several abrasive blasting methods where a hardmaterial is rapidly driven against a softer material by use of apressurized vehicle such as air or water. It causes removal anddeformation of the soft material's surface layer. Metal, glass beads orceramics can be used.

Additional methods such as but not limited to ion etching are alsopossible, and would require vacuums, and the like. For polymers likepolylactic acid, a solvent such as chloroform may also be used to etchthe surface.

Molding the texturized surface can also be accomplished. For example,injection molding is often used to make containers, but more ofteninjection blow-molding can be used. The later method uses air ornitrogen to expand the soft plastic, and does not put as much pressureon the surface as a mold would. Hence, particles incorporated in theplastic can be exposed to some extent on the inner surface. In somecases, they would be covered by a plastic layer and not have the veryfine structure with features the size of a mosquito foot part. Theutility would depend on particle loading, processing temperature andother factors.

With injection molding, the container or chip, and the like, can be madeof many plastics, but the most common ones are very slowly degrading(polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinylchloride or copolymers like EPDM).

Since it can be beneficial to have the device degrade when no longereffective or needed, one could make the bottle of a degradable plasticlike poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA). This polymer is modifiable by mixing inother monomers (D-lactide, L-glycolide, caprolactone) or agents to speedor slow degradation like solid acids, bases or buffers.

Almost any solid or porous material can be able to carry a slow-releaseformulation.

Chips, such as but not limited to pebbles and the like, can be made ofmacroporous polymer beads or polystyrene or other polymers, porousceramics, clays, cements or agglomerates or porous metals. Fiber mats,such as cloth, can also hold the polymer/larvicide composition for slowrelease applications.

Additionally, additives such as anti-oxidants, such as but not limitedto Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and Vitamine E (Alpha-Tocopherol orD-alpha-Tocopherol).

The additives would be used to prevent the breakdown of any of theactive ingredients when the active ingredients are mixed or stored.

The terms “approximately” and “about” can be +/−10% of the amountreferenced. Additionally, preferred amounts and ranges can include theamounts and ranges referenced without the prefix of being approximately.

While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shownin various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it haspresumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be,nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such othermodifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings hereinare particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth andscope of the claims here appended.

We claim:
 1. An insecticidal composition for treating surfaces, comprising: a texturizing agent; a polymer mixture for suspending the texturing agent within; and a solvent for dissolving the textured agent suspended in the polymer mixture, wherein the composition is useful to form a texturized surface to treat insects.
 2. The insecticidal composition of claim 1, wherein the texturizing agent includes: fumed silica.
 3. The insecticidal composition of claim 1, wherein the polymer includes: Iso-butyl-methacrylate.
 4. The insecticidal composition of claim 1, wherein the solvent includes: acetone.
 5. The insecticidal composition of claim 1, further comprising: Pyriproxyfen.
 6. The insecticidal composition of claim 1, further comprising: Permethrin.
 7. The insecticidal composition of claim 6, further comprising: Pyriproxyfen.
 8. The insecticidal composition of claim 1, wherein the insects include: mosquitoes.
 9. The insecticidal composition of claim 1, further comprising: an anti-oxidant additive to prevent a breakdown of active ingredients of the composition when the active ingredients are mixed or stored.
 10. The insecticidal composition of claim 9, wherein the anti-oxidant additive includes at least one of: Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and Vitamine E (Alpha-Tocopherol or D-alpha-Tocopherol).
 11. A method of making a texturized surface with an insecticide composition, comprising the steps of: preparing an insecticidal composition mixture by mixing a texturing agent with a polymer and a solvent for dissolving the textured agent; and forming a texturized surface on an object.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the forming step includes the step of: spraying a surface of the object.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the forming step includes the step of: painting a surface of the object.
 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the forming step includes the step of: etching a surface of the object.
 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the forming step includes the step of: forming the texturized surface by injection molding with a plastic.
 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the object includes: an interior surface of an ovitrap.
 17. The method of claim 11, wherein the object includes: a chip.
 18. The method of claim 11, wherein the object includes: a ceramic tile.
 19. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: providing fumed silica as the texturizing agent.
 20. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: providing Iso-butyl-methacrylate as the polymer.
 21. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: providing acetone as the solvent.
 22. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: providing Pyriproxyfen.
 23. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: providing Permethrin.
 24. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: providing Pyriproxyfen.
 25. The method of claim 11, wherein the insects include: mosquitoes.
 26. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: providing an anti-oxidant additive to prevent a breakdown of active ingredients of the composition when the active ingredients are mixed or stored.
 27. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of providing the anti-oxidant additive includes the step of: providing at least one of: Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and Vitamine E (Alpha-Tocopherol or D-alpha-Tocopherol), as the anti-oxidant additive.
 28. An insecticidal composition for treating surfaces, comprising: a texturizing agent that includes fumed silica; a polymer mixture that includes Iso-butyl-methacrylate for suspending the texturing agent within; and a solvent that includes acetone for dissolving the textured agent suspended in the polymer mixture, wherein the composition is useful to form a texturized surface to treat insects.
 29. The insecticidal composition of claim 28, further comprising: at least one of: Pyriproxyfen, Permethrin and Pyriproxyfen.
 30. An insecticidal composition for treating surfaces, comprising: a texturizing agent that includes fumed silica; a polymer mixture that includes Iso-butyl-methacrylate for suspending the texturing agent within; a solvent that includes acetone for dissolving the textured agent suspended in the polymer mixture, wherein the composition is useful to form a texturized surface to treat insects; and an anti-oxidant additive to prevent a breakdown of active ingredients of the composition when the active ingredients are mixed or stored.
 31. The insecticidal composition of claim 30, wherein the anti-oxidant additive includes at least one of: Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and Vitamine E (Alpha-Tocopherol or D-alpha-Tocopherol).
 32. The insecticidal composition of claim 31, further comprising: at least one of: Pyriproxyfen, Permethrin and Pyriproxyfen. 